


i wish i could let you go ( please don't leave me again )

by awkwardhesitations



Category: Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (Video Game)
Genre: For clarification, M/M, also, but mostly esmeralda and vale just being cool friends together in the desert, so...i had this for so long but like was too lazy to finish it lol, there's slight vale and valir in here, vale and esmeralda are both in their ruddy dusk and cerulean winds respectively haha, vale and valir if you squint, valir's new revamp way too overpowered tbh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-12-28 12:48:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21136955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awkwardhesitations/pseuds/awkwardhesitations
Summary: in the whispering sand dunes of the western deserts, a windtalker meets an astrologer on a quest for vengeance.summary: vale is searching for valir. esmeralda is travelling through the deserts to imprison khufra. they meet, and it forges an unusual, brief friendship along the way.





	i wish i could let you go ( please don't leave me again )

**Author's Note:**

> well well well  
look who's here again  
your least favourite author lol  
i had this idea in like august but was too lazy to finish the draft  
so today, sleep deprived at 3 am, finals tomorrow, i decided i'll post this, not betaed.
> 
> fudge

in the whispering sand dunes of the western deserts, a windtalker meets an astrologer on a quest for vengeance.

the windtalker sees the girl from high above, commanding winds to let him down slowly as he observes her. she's on a camel, riding endlessly into the dunes. she's wearing a red dress with a headscarf around her neck, golden ornaments crowning her head and her faded dress- vale wonders whether this girl has ever been to the deserts. no one wears jewellery when travelling the desert- bandits are always looking to make a quick buck; and a dress is certainly not suitable for the strong winds of the deserts, especially not the western sahara, known for it's life threatening winds. 

he calms the whispers of the currents breezing past him, shushes them. they're eager to see him interact with this.. girl. vale guesses she's some exiled princess of some sorts. no one wears such extravagant attire to the deserts, unless you have enough to protect yourself or it will slow you down.

her eyes widen as he floats down enough to see each other. yet she is neither surprised, but only stares down at him. vale notices she has two flickering tassels behind her back that remind him of his own attire, dangling with the symbol of the frostmoon and stardust- so she knows the mystical arts after all. but aren't the artifacts a myth- a legend, of the ruthless king khufra and eslora- vale has read some scrolls about the subject.

'who are you, mystical being?' the girl speaks up, her blue eyes staring rather defiantly at him. 'and pray tell, why block my journey?' vale lets loose a chuckle. at least she has courage- she isn't running away like all the other travellers.

'i.. am the protector of this desert and all that encompasses it.' he whispers. the winds carry his voice, shifting in the air and flying off into the sands. she shifts uneasily, licks her lips. vale sees her red dress is quite faded and tattered. maybe she isn't some exiled princess after all.

'really? please pardon me then, and grant me, a lone traveller, safe passage through this blustering winds. can we strike a deal?' striking a deal with demigods? vale nods, amusedly. he floats in front of her camel, pets it's head. catches the girl raising her eyebrows slightly.

'are you questioning my actions, traveller?' his glowing eyes look up from the camel to meet hers, before she shakes her head. 'my apologies if i caused you any disrespect,' the brunette looks around at the wind shield vale has built around them curiously, 'but i was about to ask you about your terms in exchange for a safe passage through this desert.'

'as you see, my camel isn't able to go very far sooner or later. i have run out of water, and i'm saving up my other flask for emergencies. i can offer you my gold ornaments?' this elicits a tinkling laugh from the windtalker, looking at her. 'it's not like you lack any of them anyway.' she comments, making a very obvious show of observing vale's ceremonial attire. 

vale likes this traveller. she has spunk, she has humour.

'this, is my ceremonial attire, traveller. the desert has its requirements.' the girl snorts. 'i'm sorry if i offended the desert. so, what else can i offer? to read your fortune? map out your fate in the stars? i'm mighty good at that, too.' 'i'm contented with where i stand now. however, i believe you owe me an introduction.'

vale learns her name is esmeralda. she's the descendant of eslora, the famous astrologer with an affinity for the stars, the lover of the cold king khufra centuries ago. 'so, esmeralda. what is your purpose? through this unforgiving desert, and harsh winds?' he says, while opening up a clear pathway for them. her eyes twinkle like stars as he guides them through the seemingly endless path, wind walls on both sides to protect them from the sand and wind.

'i- i'm looking for khufra. a lot of people say he has risen up from the dead, and i'm hunting him down to end the chaos he has caused.' as she speaks, the two tassels behind her whip up, the frostmoon and stardust. 'eslora sacrificed too much to put her lover in his grave- i must make sure her efforts are not wasted.'

'i see.' the astrologer takes another inquiring look at his attire as vale floats beside her, slight winds blowing his tassels, his baggy pants billowing and puffing up. 'may i ask what's your name, demigod?' you already know my name, and my story.'

'you're brave to be asking quite a lot from a demigod, esmeralda.' the windtalker grins, and esmeralda thinks she heard the winds around them giggle. 'don't be shy. you're quite different than all the other travellers i have crossed so far.'

later, at the oasis midway of their journey, vale watches silently as the traveller he's protecting guzzles down her water. she refills her flasks with it, washes her face. it's an instant relief, some of the weariness fleeing her bones. esmeralda looks more refreshed.

she notices him watching her, swallowing consciously as she goes over to her camel, packing all her flasks. 'don't you want to pack some food for your journey after you crossed the desert? i'm sure you can take a bath too- i promise i won't look.' he adds, as esmeralda's face is a little flushed as she glares at him, her hands crossed in front of her chest.

'i can see you want it.' and esmeralda doesn't like how he's true. a thought of a refreshing dip in the water is tempting, to cleanse her skin of the sand and hydrate her pores- scrub off all the dirt- but there's a niggling thought gnawing at the back of her mind. she doesn't know who this demigod is. even though he has very kindly led her to this oasis and opened up a safe path for her, she doesn't even know his name.

'this is drinking water! i'll dirty the water here and other travellers can't drink fresh water when they pass here.' this is when vale startles the astrologer with a booming laugh, as she watches him float up to a mesquite plant, plucking the fruits and popping a pod into his mouth.

'did it ever occur to you, esmeralda-that you would have never found this oasis without my path?' vale says, and the winds around him poof his hair up in an act of playfulness. esmeralda sees him quietly tsks at the air, before his hair goes back to normal. the winds have apparently been fond of playing with his tassels.

'so-' he sees the brunette look rather abashed. 'this is a hidden away oasis- only the travellers i protect will ever get to find this gift that the desert has gave me.' he throws another mesquite pod at her, watching her catch it. 'it's mesquite. try it, it's quite nice.'

she plops in her mouth- it's like a nut, but sweetness blooms like flowers on her tongue. esmeralda nods in appreciation. 'so, i'm allowed to eat here?' vale tilts his head, throwing another few pods for her to catch, before plucking one off and eating it himself.

'no travellers has came here since a decade, esmeralda. you're free to do anything here- including a bath. if you're not, i'm not going to force you. we can go on our way.' he says, floating towards the camel. there's a moment of silence as the astrologer contemplates her decision. 

'but i'm sure you want one. i give you my word i won't peek,' he says, petting her camel again-he seems to be fond of airene, esmeralda thinks, before he turns and looks at her, 'but i can't guarantee the camel won't..' he has a boyish grin on his face.

'fine. i won't take long- but if i catch you looking-' esmeralda musters up the best glare she can and directs it on him. why is she doing this? it's not like she can really threaten him in any way or threaten his life- she'll end up endangering her own instead. this is his territory after all.

she casts a last glance to make sure he isn't looking, well hidden under the leaves of the palm trees. leaves her dress on the sand, and with another cautious glance around, she dips into the pool.

the feeling is refreshing- it's instant relief. she gasps once she comes into contact with the water; it's cool on her skin and esmeralda feels like a snake shedding a second skin, diving down into the sparkling pool of water and rising up again. black strands of hair stick to her face, the sun shining on her skin and making her golden. 

it's rejuvenating, of course. all her lethargy is soaked up by the water and leaving her feeling energized- esmeralda wonders whether this oasis is charmed. she must really thank the stars that she has such luck. 'may i ask a question long overdue, demigod?' she says, sighing against the water. 'go on.'

she sees the back of the demigod facing towards her- he really kept his word. esmeralda is slightly surprised, as she wades towards him. 'what is your name?' it startles him, as he turns around and the winds instantly blow his tassels to cover his eyes. 'esmeralda. i presume you are done with your relaxing bath?' his voice has a note of amusement, as his tassels are still blocking his sight. after he notices esmeralda refuses to reply, vale chuckles, his eyes still trained on the horizon, winds circling around him. 'vale. my name is vale.'

'that reminds me of someone- i think someone told me about you before then.' the water ripples as she surfaces from the lake. she emerges in her attire a few minutes later, and they set off once more.

'i'm looking for a man named valir.' he says. esmeralda notes his voice is tinged with bitterness, and maybe- longing? she doesn't dare to question vale. it's him who has graciously provided her protection through her journey, and it's courtesy to treat him back as such. he's a demigod too, floating with the wind in front of her, and occasionally she hears the winds giggle, but esmeralda thinks it's probably her imagination.

'valir..?' she has heard the name before, it's associated with a myth- 'yes? have you heard of him?' vale stops in his tracks abruptly, pausing for her answer. 

'there's a story- or some myth i heard going around the markets lately in the district. there was something about two brothers, a volcano- and, i think valir could control fire or something? there was also this name 'gord' somewhere in the story- i'm not sure, but people have been saying valir is back and heading to the land of dawn for vengeance.' esmeralda tries to recall the hazy bits and pieces of gossip her sister told her at home, trying to piece together the tale of the brothers. 

vale's eyes light up. the winds speed up around them, and it startles esmeralda out of her thoughts. he seems lighter. seems happier. 

they're nearing the end of her journey as esmeralda spots some buildings far ahead, with tents and people milling about. 'well, esmeralda. i guess this is where we part ways.' the demigod shoots a grin at her. 'yeah.. i can't express my gratitude enough. thank you.' she bows deeply, and he waves it off.

vale is getting ready to disappear into the gales of wind before esmeralda calls him.' hey, um, vale?' he nods. 'may i ask, why do you seek this valir?' he eyes her for a few moments, hovering in the air. finally, vale relents from the astrologer's inquisitive gaze.

'he's my close friend, and sworn brother. i'm looking for him to fulfill our promise.' recognition appears on esmeralda's face, she connecting the dots and getting the idea immediately- 'you- you're one of the brothers in the story!' her eyes are widened in awe.

vale's eyes sparkle as the winds whisk him off to the sands once more.

**Author's Note:**

> all comments and kudos are highly appreciated!


End file.
